


To blur the distance

by RaspberryDevil



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: HQ Rarepair Week, Happy Ending, M/M, a bit angsting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 17:43:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3618618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaspberryDevil/pseuds/RaspberryDevil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he finally falls asleep, his dream is full of weird images, but between all the blurring faces and radiating colours, Inuoka's grin is always present. Yet he is so far away, out of his reach and when Shibayama wakes up the next morning, he realises that the distance might not matter on the field, that he can keep up with him, but their feelings going in different directions is something he can't prevent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To blur the distance

**Author's Note:**

> ShibaInu is the cutest shipname ever. It's such a cute ship with so much fluff possibilities, and here I am, obviously writing hurt/comfort. Doesn't mean I won't write fluff about them in the future. Maybe.

It's not such a difference, only a few metre, but it feels like a rift between them, the distance when Shibayama stands at the sidelines and Inuoka is one the field.

They are growing apart and he fears this.

At first he tried to stay positive despite of everyone being ahead of him, giving his best, but lately it's become harder. It's difficult to keep these feelings at bay because of another feeling he came to realise, a sudden epiphany during training when Inukoa blocked one of Lev's spikes and his cheerful grin almost reached from one ear to another, shouting with excitement.

He loves him.

Shibayama is in love with his teammate, his best friend, Inuoka, and he doesn't know how to deal with this. It's stupid in his opinion, like this is the worst thing which could have happened to their friendship right now.

He wished that Yaku was still here – he could always come to him when something was bothering him – or Kuroo, who was despite of his scary look always kind to him, even helping him with his homework.

And while he wants to take these emotion and push them back into a dark corner of his heart, banning these thoughts off his mind, he does need to talk about it, otherwise he feels like his performance during a match will be affected. He can't let this happen now, not when he is finally standing on the same field during matches, when he can close the distance between them for a few minutes as if it wasn't there in the first place.

It's what he thinks, but in the end he doesn't feel ready to tell Inuoka about these emotions which are too much to bear alone. So he ponders, spends almost the whole night laying awake in bed, starring at his ceiling. Who should he talk to? The only one left he trust enough to keep quiet about it is Kenma, Taketora being too loud and Fukunaga too quiet; he doesn't consider Lev for even a second nor any first year.

“Kenma?”

He approaches their setter the next day before practise starts, works up the courage to ask if he can stay after practise for a few minutes and help him with something; the young man nods, tells him that it can take a bit time though, as they are supposed to clean, but he'll listen.

The thought that he can end this with the talk keeps his head clear, his mind sharp and focused during training. It's the first time since he realises his feelings that he can play without any negative thoughts.

“What is it?”, Kenma wants to know when they finished, being the last in the changing room.

“I... uhm... You and Inuoka are close, so...”, he starts, doesn't know where to keep his eyes on, doesn't even know what to say, didn't think about it before; there is no need to since Kenma realises his uneasiness, tries to meet him halfway.

“Not as close as you are”, he immediately answers, a bit interested even though he doesn't seem to show it, can guess what is bothering the young boy.

“I was just wondering, uhm...”

“If you want to confess, go for it. It's better then bottling things up.”

The libero knows how perceptive Kenma is, but he never would have guessed that he had been that obvious and so it doesn't stop him from blushing, lowering his gaze; he misses the small smile which tugs at Kenma's lips, the fond look in his eyes, feeling sympathy for the younger one.

“Talking can help a lot”, Kenma continues and Shibayama expects him to add that Inuoka isn't the kind of guy to hate someone after a confession, that he is too kind even during a rejection, but nothing like that follows; retrospectively, this was Kenma's way of telling him that his feelings were mutual.

“Thank you”, Shibayama says with a steady voice, bowing and while any other person like Kuroo or Yaku would have patted his shoulder or ruffled his hair, Kenma just nods, acknowledging his gratitude; Shibayama wouldn't have expected anything else.

“You're welcome.”

~

This night he lies awake as well, but only because he wonders about the right time and place to confess. Maybe he should do so during lunch, taking him aside somewhere, but the fear of a rejection is too much and he wouldn't know how to deal with his friend during practise. Should he wait after practise? Or meet with him on the weekend, something they usually do, studying or playing games when they don't have to train.

This is a good idea.

When he finally falls asleep, his dream is full of weird images, but between all the blurring faces and radiating colours, Inuoka's grin is always present. Yet he is so far away, out of his reach and when Shibayama wakes up the next morning, he realises that the distance might not matter on the field, that he can keep up with him, but their feelings going in different directions is something he can't prevent.

(The next day he doesn't confess.)

~

“Man, you improved so much. I can't wait for the training camp with Karasuno. Shouyou and Yamaguchi will be really surprised when you receive their spikes”, Inuoka exclaims when they go home together after school, a day without practise, a reason why he has still enough energy left; he needs it though, for studying.

“Do you thing Yamaguchi has learnt a new serve? Oh, and Shouyou said is one-on-one is better, I really want to challenge him head on.”

Shibayama merely listens half-heartedly when he continues to ramble, using words like a different language, something he was only able to understand after a while, not like Hinata who used the same way of speaking; he still had difficulties to understand him though, just smiles when his friend gets exited like that.

“Hey, are you okay?”, Inuoka asks when they are at his house, parents and siblings gone, front door closed behind them as they are still standing in the hall.

“No.”

It's not like him to think so negative but he can't help it, these thoughts clouding his mind, but he isn't good at concealing it, his lie obvious to his friend who immediately starts to worry, brows furrowed.

“Did you hurt yourself during practise? Are you getting sick?”, he wants to know, eyes scanning him, travelling up and down his body as if he tries to spot any difference in his composure, hinting at his injury.

“No, nothing like that.”

Shibayama can't bring himself to look at him, grabs the strap of his bag tighter, avoids his gaze yet he can tell that his friend wants to grab him by his shoulder, doesn't do it in the end because he's scared that he'll hurt him or bring any distance between them (there's already this gap between them and he wonders whether Inuoka had ever realised this or if he just didn't care).

“I like you”, he eventually sputters, feels stupid for voicing it; he imagined a better scenario than the hallway of his friends house, but now the words were spoken and he couldn't take them back.

“Eh?”

“I really like you”, he repeats, quietly adds, “I'm sorry.”

The silence is enough for Shibayama to think that this is the end, running scenarios in head on how to leave the house without making the situation worse or ruining their friendship completely but when he is finally able to look at Inuoka, he stops every thought. Instead of the expected disgust, he sees him with his mouth wide open like he stopped talking mid-sentence, his face bright red, fitting to the colour of their jersey; Shibayama releases the breath he didn't know he had been holding.

“Really? Like really really? As in love like and not like like?”, Inuoka wants to know, as if he finally found the words after this confession, feeling a bit giddy as Shibayama shuffles with his feet, barely able to keep looking at him.

The libero nods and in the next second he feels two arms wrapped around him, pressing him against a warm body and a cheerful exclamation following.

“Thank you, I'm so glad, so so glad”, he beams, doesn't seem like he would let go of him soon as long as Shibayama wouldn't push him away.

Oh.

“So you love me as well?”, he asks shyly, as if it hadn't been obvious, just to make sure that this is no joke or misunderstanding.

“Yes! I do. Since a while actually!”, the brunet exclaims, eventually lets go of him to look Shibayama in the eyes, his smile radiant, leaving no doubts.

Shibayama can't believe this. So had he been worried for nothing? All this hesitation just a delay of the obvious? He could have earlier – no, it doesn't matter. This moment matters. And right now he is so happy. So so happy.

“Hey, why are you crying?”

Inuoka looks panicked again, thought that this is a good thing, their feelings mutual, but the smaller one just shakes his head, smiles to replace the shocked expression on his friend's face with relief.

“Thank you. I'm just really happy right now.”

Inuoka seems like he wants to say something again, but he closes his mouth, a bit embarrassed, before he meekly asks: “I can kiss you now, right?”

Shibayama nods, wipes away the tears with his sleeve before Inuoka bends down and presses their lips together, shortly, cheeks dusted pink. Shibayama's has an equally expression on his face, a dreamy look, before he grabs Inuoka by his shirt, standing on his tiptoes and closing the gap between them a second time.

(He figures that this is the only distance he will never mind.)


End file.
